Written Answers Nos. 294-308
294. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which the upgrading and or replacing of military equipment is expected to take place within the Air Corps in the course of 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25475/21]
View answerMy priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces, including the Air Corps, is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable them to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.
The Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020, completed through extensive joint civil-military work, provides a comprehensive list of planned equipment projects by means of a five-year rolling plan. The EDP builds on the intentions set out in the White Paper in relation to equipment acquisition, modernisation and upgrade and has been developed to ensure that the Defence Forces have the major equipment platforms, ancillary equipment and force protection equipment to carry out their important roles both at home and overseas.
The White Paper provides for the replacement of the two CASA 235 maritime patrol aircraft with consideration to be given to their replacement with larger more capable aircraft which would enhance maritime surveillance and provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo carrying tasks. A contract for the supply of two C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft was entered into with Airbus Defence and Space in December 2019, with delivery of the aircraft expected in 2023. The cost of the contract including ancillary support is €229m inclusive of VAT. The project is progressing well.
This significant investment in maritime patrol aircraft is an example which demonstrates my commitment to update and upgrade the Defence Forces equipment and capability, within the financial envelope available. Investment under the National Development Plan (NDP) continues to increase. Budget 2021 provides for a further increased gross NDP allocation to €131m in the defence capital budget in respect of equipment and barracks infrastructure. This level of capital funding will allow the Defence Organisation to undertake a programme of sustained equipment replacement and infrastructural development across the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as identified and prioritised in the Defence White Paper and builds on the significant investment programme over recent years.
I am satisfied that the Defence Forces, including the Air Corps have the necessary modern and effective range of equipment available to them which is in line with best international standards in order to fulfil all roles assigned to them by Government.
298. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence if he will review the situation in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25480/21]
View answerThe Army Pensions Acts 1923-1980 provide for the grant of pensions and gratuities to former members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) in respect of permanent disablement due to a wound or injury attributable to military service (whether at home or abroad) or due to disease attributable to or aggravated by overseas service with the United Nations.
Section 13(2) of the Army Pensions Act, 1923, as amended, provides that “Any compensation which may be received from or on behalf of the person alleged to be responsible for the act which caused the wounding … may be taken into consideration in fixing the amount of any pension, allowance or gratuity which might be awarded under this Act to or in respect of such person and if such compensation is received after the award of any such pension or allowance the Minister may review the award and, having regard to the amount of such compensation, either terminate or reduce the amount thereof.” The underlying objective of Section 13(2) is to take into consideration compensation paid 'on the double' for the same disablement.
In a case where Section 13(2) applies, the applicant or his/her solicitors are advised of the provisions of Section 13(2). They are invited to make submissions as to how much, if any of the compensation should be taken into account in fixing the rate of disability pension. The Minister then makes a bona fide decision based on a consideration of all circumstances of the case, including the annuity value of the compensation awarded.
The Minister may decide to take all, some or none of the compensation into account in fixing the rate of disability pension. If the Minister decides to reduce the disability pension under Section 13(2), the reduction applies for the lifetime of the pension.
In April 1986 the person in question was awarded a disability pension under the Army Pensions Acts in respect of an injury sustained while serving in the PDF. The person in question also instituted civil proceedings in respect of the same injury and was awarded compensation by the High Court. The disability pension payable was therefore reviewed under the provisions of section 13(2) of the 1923 Act and it was decided to reduce it by the annuity value of the total compensation which the person in question had received. The annuity value in question was not a calculation based on recovery of the amount of compensation involved. Instead, the purpose is to use an actuarial assessment to reduce the pension in a fair way to avoid payment “on the double” where compensation has already been received.
Subsequently, the person in question applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the decision to reduce the disability pension. The High Court quashed the decision to reduce the disability pension and ordered that the matter be considered anew. A fresh review of the disability pension was accordingly undertaken. All aspects of the case (including, in particular, representations made by his solicitors) were fully considered and in March 1988 the then Minister decided to reduce the disability pension payable by the annuity value of the total compensation received by the person in question.
The Deputy may wish to note that the Courts, in various previous judgements, have upheld the Minister’s statutory right to take into consideration that part of the damages which can properly be regarded as general damages or that part which can properly be regarded as referable to loss of earnings, or both these parts, as he considers proper. Alternatively, the Minister may decide to take none of the compensation into account.
I am satisfied that the disability pension in this case was properly determined in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions by the then Minister and I do not believe that a further review of the decision under Section 13(2) would be appropriate.
299. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education if the promised new revised school transport system will be ready for September 2021 in order to eliminate the confusion of September 2020 (details supplied). [24601/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In October 2019, my predecessor announced a review of the school transport scheme with a view to taking a fresh look at the service and its broader effectiveness and sustainability. Given the evolving situation with Covid-19 the work of the Steering Group had been delayed. However, an initial meeting of the Steering Group was recently held in order to recommence the process which will continue over the coming period. The review is being conducted to ensure that the school transport is fit for purpose and that it serves students and their families adequately.
This review will build on the proposals in the Programme for Government as they relate to school transport, including examining the options to reduce car journeys and assessing how the School Transport Scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools Programme; examining the options for providing a better value and a better service for students, including and examining issues such as the nearest or next-nearest school.
It is planned that the Steering Group will report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report later this year with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.
The Steering Group will report to me initially on preliminary findings regarding eligibility, before moving to consider and report on broader issues such as the objectives of the scheme and the alignment of the scheme with other initiatives and wider Government policy. The Steering Group is due to report to me shortly with this preliminary report.
300. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if she will provide assistance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25176/21]
View answerA new model for allocating special education teachers (SETs) to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools. Over 13,600 SETs are currently provided to mainstream schools to support the learning needs of pupils who have additional needs in literacy, including those arising from specific learning difficulties.
It is the policy of my Department, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that pupils with such additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes with additional provision made by a special education teacher.
In September 2018, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was requested to develop Policy Advice on Education Provision in Special Classes and Special Schools to examine whether placement in specialist settings brings about improved educational outcomes and experiences, relative to their ability, for students with special educational needs.
This Policy Advice is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
301. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education the steps taken to meet the Programme for Government commitment to work to encourage increased participation in physical education in primary and secondary education. [25067/21]
View answerIt is acknowledged that physical education has a particular contribution to make to the child’s personal and social development, it promotes diversity of experience and helps develop co-operative skills, fosters the concept of fair play and a balanced perspective on, and acceptance of, success and failure. Encouraging the child to focus on his/her goals, engenders positive attitudes and contributes to the enhancement of the child’s self-esteem. It contributes to cognitive development by developing estimation skills when judging time, speed and distance, it assists in developing mapping skills, aesthetic activities such as dance and gymnastics assist in the expression of ideas, emotions, creativity and imagination.
Calls for increased time to be allocated to existing curriculum areas such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and to Physical Education (PE) are reflected within the draft Primary Curriculum Framework which was published in February 2020 for public consultation. The initial phase of this consultation concluded on December 31 2020, phase two, which will focus on consulting teachers, school leaders, parents and pupils will take place in September 2021.
Primary schools are also involved in initiatives such as the Department of Education’s Active School Flag (ASF). The initiative encourages schools to look at their current provision in terms of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Partnerships and thereafter to make improvements. The Initiative seeks to recognise schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community.
In Junior Cycle, Physical Education is recognised as part of the Well-being area of learning as outlined in the Framework for Junior Cycle. Physical Education is allocated a minimum of 135 hours across the three years of Junior Cycle. Schools develop their programme of study based on the physical activity areas of, Health Related Activity, Athletics, Adventure Activities, Aquatics, Dance, Gymnastics and Games. A new Junior Cycle Physical Education specification that is designed for a minimum of 135 hours, aligned to the Framework for Junior Cycle, is currently under development by the NCCA.
302. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education the status of the Programme for Government commitment to commence a free schoolbooks scheme pilot in September 2020 and pending a successful review of the pilot, expand the scheme to schools nationwide as resources allow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25070/21]
View answerMy Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €17.1 million in 2020 to all of these schools.
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents and in order to support the establishment of book rental schemes my Department provided €15.7 million seed capital in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to primary schools. Circa. 96% of primary schools and 68% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme
It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school but they are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those most in need.
Additional funding of €1million provided under Budget 2020 was allocated to 102 Primary DEIS schools for a new pilot programme for the 2020/21 school year. The aim of this pilot is to provide free school books for students in the schools involved, and to support these schools in eliminating the cost of school books for parents. It will run for the period of one year and its effectiveness and impact will be monitored and evaluated before any decision is made as regards its possible extension or continuation. Under Circular 46/2013, DEIS schools receive a book grant of €21 per student. This pilot provided an additional €64 per student to increase the overall book grant rate to €85 per student enrolled in the school. This additional funding issued to schools in May 2020.
303. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education the status and details of the public health supports available to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25071/21]
View answerThe Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. The CMO has made it very clear in his advices to Government which are published on gov.ie, that schools are places of low transmission, with very little evidence of transmission within schools, and that the majority of infections of children and adolescents occurs outside the school setting. This is supported by Public Health doctors. Schools have put significant infection prevention control measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and significant funding of almost €650 million has been put in place by my Department to fund Covid-19 related measures, including funding for PPE, sanitation and additional cleaning etc.
The weekly reports from Public Health since schools reopened are very reassuring, showing that the close contact positivity rate in schools is remaining very stable and is still at a low level. Unavoidably there has been some outbreaks and some students have had to return for a short period to remote teaching and learning. However, I am confident that the combined supports from my Department and the HSE schools teams are proving very effective in supporting schools to manage through these events.
There is a dedicated school principal’s help line open seven days a week supported by staff of the Department. This is a dedicated service for principals. Following the reopening of schools on a phased basis in February/March 2021, the Department increased the percentage assignment of Department inspectors to the HSE to support this dedicated phone line. The Department is coordinating closely with the HSE Public Health Team on a weekly basis – and sometimes more frequently – to manage the support needed by the HSE and to keep the level of staffing for the support lines under review.
Public health have also reaffirmed to the Department that full contact tracing and bulk fast-track testing within the school setting has resumed following the period of school closures.
304. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the status of each large-scale school building project in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25060/21]
View answerThe current NDP, as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework, provides for €8.8bn investment in schools during the period 2018 to 2027. The increased investment under the NDP has positioned the State to focus on adding capacity to cater for increased enrolments and demographic needs.
During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projects under the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, including permanent accommodation for 229 special classes; and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schools throughout the country. 7 of these projects delivered were in County Carlow.
The Department has a significant existing pipeline of projects to be delivered over the coming years to meet capacity needs managed under the Large Scale Capital Programme and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme. 21 of these projects are in County Carlow. 3 of these projects are on the Large Scale Capital Programme. The current status of these projects being delivered is listed on a county by county basis on the Department of Education and Skill’s website at www.education.ie and updated on a monthly basis. It should be noted that at individual project level, Design teams are required to provide a delivery programme to school authorities and to keep them updated on progress of their projects including through the provision of monthly progress reports.
I have made arrangement for the details of all 21 school building projects to be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
305. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the supports in place for schools to run the 2021 leaving certificate and accredited grades process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25061/21]
View answerOn 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.
Putting in place both the examinations and a corresponding measure of SEC-Accredited Grades is essential to ensuring a fair system, having regard to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic and the loss of learning that has occurred for this group of students due to the interruption of in-person teaching and learning during the periods of school closure.
This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Advisory Group on Planning for State Examinations 2021 and ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.
Students have registered for the traditional examinations and/or to receive SEC-Accredited Grades on a subject-by-subject basis on the Candidate Self-Service Portal. In any subject where a student sits the examination and opts to receive Accredited Grades, they will be credited with the better of the two results.
Those opting for the traditional examinations have completed orals and music practical examinations over Easter and the LCVP Link Module examination last weekend. Proficiency Assessments for candidates seeking an Accredited Grade in respect of non-curricular languages were also held last weekend. Leaving Certificate Applied oral examinations started on 3 May.
My Department and the State Examinations Commission has published a series of guides for both students and schools regarding the processes for the 2021 Leaving Certificate. This includes A Guide to State Examinations and Accredited Grades for Leaving Certificate 2021 as well as detailed guides on the Accredited Grades processes for schools. These guides, and further information, are available on www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate.
On 25 March, I announced details of the additional supports that are being provided to schools to support the running of the Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied Examinations and the Accredited Grades process.
Schools can appoint a Leaving Certificate Aide to support school management in the planning, preparations for and running of the examinations, and the work involved in the Accredited Grades process including work related to providing estimated marks for out of school learners and students studying subjects outside of school.
The measures are designed to support schools and ensure that essential work for Leaving Certificate 2021 can take place. The arrangements recognise that certain work is required to be carried out outside the normal time in which such work is undertaken.
Schools are able to appoint an Aide from within the school, to conduct the planning and organisation work associated with the oral examinations and to assist with the administration of the June examinations and the Accredited Grades process. The number of days available ranges from 50 to 60 days depending on the number of candidates in the school and the range of activities that are required to meet the needs of candidates in that school.
Full details of these arrangements have been advised to schools by the State Examinations Commission Circular 15/2021.
My Department is also supporting school leaders, teachers and other school personnel, tutors, parents and students through a dedicated phone-line and e-mail service for queries on the Accredited Grades process.
In the coming days, the SEC will be issuing further guidance for the conduct of the written examinations to schools that is in line with public health advice and which will ensure that the examinations can proceed safely.
The most current information on all matters relating to Leaving Certificate examinations and the Accredited Grades process will be available on an ongoing basis on gov.ie/LeavingCertificate.
306. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education her views on the degree to which children including those with special educational needs can safely return to the classroom with special emphasis on the safety of the children and teachers and keeping in place adequate measures to minimise the Covid-19 related risks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4471/21]
View answerThe Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools.
The medical advice is that schools are low risk environments, with very little evidence of transmission within schools, and that the majority of infections of children and adolescents occurs outside the school setting. The decision to delay the reopening of schools in January was in recognition of the need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at a time where there was unprecedented levels of disease transmission in the community. This was not based on a changed assessment of the risks in relation to transmission levels in schools.
In line with the current public health advice, all students returned to in-school learning from Monday 12 April. This is the final stage in the phased reopening of all schools.
Schools have put significant infection prevention control measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school.
Funding of almost €630 million has been put in place by my Department to fund these measures, including funding for PPE, sanitation and additional cleaning etc.
Public health has reviewed these measures and is satisfied that when they are rigorously implemented and adhered to, will keep the school community safe.
Since October 2020, Department of Education staff have been assigned to work with the HSE on their dedicated School Teams, in six of the regions of the HSE. The purpose of their work is to assist schools/settings where a positive case of Covid-19 is identified. Inspectors conduct Public Health Risk Assessments in such schools and settings following a notification of a COVID-19 case by the school/setting to the HSE.
My Department’s Inspectorate is coordinating closely with the HSE Public Health Team on an ongoing basis to manage the support needed by the HSE and to keep the level of staffing under review. Weekly reports on the testing of close contact within the education system are published and available on the HPSC website.
The dedicated principals’ help line remains available as a key resource.
My Department and the Department of and Health and the HSE will continue to monitor and review the operation of schools and work with education partners to support the safe operation of schools during this time.
307. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the arrangements likely to hold the 2021 leaving certificate or other evaluations for second-level students having regard to the 2020 experience and the conclusions reached thereafter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4472/21]
View answerOn 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.
Putting in place both the examinations and a corresponding measure of SEC-Accredited Grades is essential to ensuring a fair system, having regard to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic and the loss of learning that has occurred for this group of students due to the interruption of in-person teaching and learning during the periods of school closure.
This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Advisory Group on Planning for State Examinations 2021 and ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.
Students have registered for the traditional examinations and/or to receive SEC-Accredited Grades on a subject-by-subject basis on the Candidate Self-Service Portal. In any subject where a student sits the examination and opts to receive Accredited Grades, they will be credited with the better of the two results.
Those opting for the traditional examinations have completed orals and music practical examinations over Easter and the LCVP Link Module examination last weekend. Proficiency Assessments for candidates seeking an Accredited Grade in respect of non-curricular languages were also held last weekend. Leaving Certificate Applied oral examinations started on 3 May.
My Department and the State Examinations Commission has published a series of guides for both students and schools regarding the processes for the 2021 Leaving Certificate. This includes A Guide to State Examinations and Accredited Grades for Leaving Certificate 2021 as well as detailed guides on the Accredited Grades processes for schools. These guides, and further information, are available on www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate.
On 25 March, I announced details of the additional supports that are being provided to schools to support the running of the Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied Examinations and the Accredited Grades process.
Schools can appoint a Leaving Certificate Aide to support school management in the planning, preparations for and running of the examinations, and the work involved in the Accredited Grades process including work related to providing estimated marks for out of school learners and students studying subjects outside of school.
The measures are designed to support schools and ensure that essential work for Leaving Certificate 2021 can take place. The arrangements recognise that certain work is required to be carried out outside the normal time in which such work is undertaken.
Schools are able to appoint an Aide from within the school, to conduct the planning and organisation work associated with the oral examinations and to assist with the administration of the June examinations and the Accredited Grades process. The number of days available ranges from 50 to 60 days depending on the number of candidates in the school and the range of activities that are required to meet the needs of candidates in that school.
Full details of these arrangements have been advised to schools by the State Examinations Commission Circular 15/2021.
My Department is also supporting school leaders, teachers and other school personnel, tutors, parents and students through a dedicated phone-line and e-mail service for queries on the Accredited Grades process.
In the coming days, the SEC will be issuing further guidance for the conduct of the written examinations to schools that is in line with public health advice and which will ensure that the examinations can proceed safely.
The most current information on all matters relating to Leaving Certificate examinations and the Accredited Grades process will be available on an ongoing basis on gov.ie/LeavingCertificate.
308. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will address an issue on school transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25193/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of my Department’s School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 km at primary and 4.8 km at post-primary and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2021/22 school year where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only. Concessionary transport is subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service. The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s education cycle. Routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that the family referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for school transport as they are not attending their closest school.
An application for transport for one family member was received on 29th March 2019 to travel to the school of attendance and this application will carry over to the current school year. However, no further school transport applications have been received by Bus Éireann for this family for the 2021/2022 school year.
Bus Éireann has advised that this family reside 400 m from the bus pick up point for the service to their school of attendance. Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Routes are planned and updated on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport.
